Ask HN: Where to go from here?
I'm posting under a throw away account because I have friends involved that would know my original account.
I've been interviewing at a Los Angeles-based game developer for a web developer position. I have a few friends who work there. The interview process is wrapping up, and has been great. Things are looking very positive. I'm very positive that I will be receiving an offer from them.
I'm from the mid-west, working at a small company that I truly dislike. I also have friends here, which at least makes being at work enjoyable, but is despise my boss because of certain things he does. I could go on for hours about him, but mainly I just feel like he doesn't deserve the things he has managed to get - he's just a scumbag. I code at work here, too. I'm aching to quit but am scared to quit without something to move to - I only have about $10,000 saved up.
So, this job change would seemingly be a great opportunity. It'd put me out in CA doing web coding at a young, neat company. But, I honestly feel in my gut that it's not what I want. I just feel like what I'd be doing there would be so insignificant. I want to be creating neat, useful tools that help people on a daily basis. I want to be creating services of value to people. It is what I have always been passionate about.
So I am confused as to what I should do. Moving to California has always been a dream of mine, but not under these circumstances, really. I always thought that if I were moving out there, it'd be to San Francisco to live out my dream. I just think if I moved to LA, I'd stare out the window wishing it were SF I was looking at. It's not exactly about location, for me, it's more about doing what I love and feeling fulfilled by it.
This feeling has been ramping as I proceed through this interview. I just read this blog post (http://www.tawheedkader.com/2010/09/how-i-made-a-principled-decision-to-quit-my-six-figure-day-job/) and am in a pretty irrational state of mind right now. I feel like quitting my current job, turning down this game company offer if they make it, and using my $10,000 to try to bootstrap my own project. This would be the most insane course of action if I were to ask anyone in my family, or maybe even anyone else at all. But, I feel like life is short and if I don't try this now then I'll never have the chance again.
What do you all think? Should I take this new job offer if it's made, and move out to LA? Should I remain at my current job, and bootstrap something in my free time? Should I go all in, and quit my current job and bootstrap something?